Love & Money Dept – TV Writing Deals for 6/11/13

Latest News About Writers Who Are Doing Better Than We Are

Grant Dekernion (newbie!) has sold a new animatged comedy to FXX, a new spinoff network from FX. The show is about a gay white rapper recently released from prison and searching for redemption. (Newbie sells series about gay rapper? Why didn’t we think of that ourselves? D-d-d-dang.)

Roberto Orci (STAR TREK reboot and more) has written the pilot for a drama described as “a Latino James Bond” for the El Rey network, also a new spinoff, this one from parent company Univision. The series is about a soccer star/playboy who doubles as a spy and has already been green-lighted for production. (This one’s live action…although we’re sensing a certain animation type vibe.)

Amy Holden Jones (MYSTIC PIZZA) has sold THE BLACK BOX to ABC with an initial order of 13 episodes. The drama series follows a famed neuroscientist who struggles with mental illness. (How does she struggle? Does she know karate? Kung fu? Sorry, we’re just crazy, zany verb fetishists at heart.)

John Eisendrath (the upcoming series THE BLACKLIST) will be showrunner of THE BLACK BOX when it goes into production. (Cuz he’s really good in the room, we suppose. Although we have to admit to being impressed by his credit on FELICITY, which often seemed to be about mental illness, didn’t it?)

Tony Tost (LONGMIRE) is writing HEARTLAND TRUCKING, a drama pilot for Showtime about, you know truckers. Oh, and mobsters too. (Tost is very hot now due to the almost-success of LONGMIRE. We just hope that HEARTLAND TRUCKING will have a hero under 60…because LONGMIRE doesn’t, see, and…never mind.)